Once you've identified all your past contacts that can help you in your job search, start re-establishing contacts with them. Update them on your career without letting them know of your job search intentions. Once people find out that you are available, referrals come your way without even your asking for them.
2. Working In The Employment Industry… A large part of my business is devoted to: 1) Helping people identify jobs through consolidating job listings from tons of sources. 2) Creating resumes and cover letters from scratch. 3) Mass mailing resumes to targeted employers that match the interests and the geographic preferences of the applicants. Notwithstanding all of these efforts, I am a firm believer in the notion that one of the best ways for people to get jobs is through their contacts.
3. The Easiest Way To Get Jobs Through People You Know… Is to simply send an email, or pick up the phone, and speak with people you know from your past about nothing at all. If the subject of your job search comes up during the conversation, great. If it does not, that’s fine too. This simple tactic is perhaps the easiest way to get a job.
4. In Sales… One of the things I have noticed over and over again is that salespeople are the most excited about new leads. Salespeople spend most of their time trying to find new people to buy products, and are mostly concerned with people who appear ready to buy in the here and now.
5. I See This A Lot In Automobile Sales. Picture an auto dealership where you pull up to find 10+ salespeople standing outdoors waiting to ask if they can help you the second you set foot on the lot. Instead, what if each time someone came into the dealership, the salesperson asked them for their contact information? What if that salesperson proceeded to continue to call those contacts periodically to see if they were interested in a new car? Imagine the number of contacts they would have after 30, 60, 90, or 180 days. Would this make a difference for their sales?
6. This is, In Fact, What The Greatest Car Salesman of All-Time Did Joe Girard never let a customer out of his grip. According to one website: After building homes for 13 years, Girard turned to autos. He sold cars from 1963 to 1977, starting at 267 units a year, rising to an all-time record of 1,425 units, and retiring at 855 units to write books. Girard had his own office at the dealership, and hired two assistants out of his pocket, one to help recruit and market sales, one to prep new cars, assess trade-ins, and coordinate service requests. He sent out nearly 13,000 greeting cards a month to his customers, celebrating everything from Halloween to Groundhog Day. He paid out thousands to a network of people who referred sales-priests, teachers, plant foremen, students, and mechanics-before the practice was discouraged by the Big Three.
7. This Sort Of Follow Up… Making sure that people remember you, and staying in touch are the things that truly builds relationships, and, in the sales market, that translates into results. There are lessons here that can be learned regarding the job market as well.
8. Throughout Your Life And Career… Chances are that you have met innumerable individuals who can assist you in your job search. Many of these people have job openings they can help you interview for, or know people who can assist you in finding employment. Look at your life and the people you have known in the past. How many people have you lost track of? How many of those do you wish you would have kept in touch with? Imagine what a difference it would make if you could reactivate just 10 or 15 percent of your old professional contacts to come to your aid in your job search.
9. You Certainly Can Find Jobs By hanging Out On Job Boards… Or contacting employers directly. You certainly can find jobs by doing a targeted mailing to employers. And certainly a very good way to find a job is by networking with people who already know you, or have known you in the past. Re-establish as many connections as you can while you are conducting your job search.
10. Once You Have Identified Those Who May Be Able To Assist You… In your job search, I would recommend that you very earnestly and deliberately re-establish contact with them. Send an email or place a call to them and reconnect, then simply update them on what you are doing. You do not need to tell these people you are looking for a job at the start of the conversation-it will come up as the conversation progresses. The natural inclination of most people is to offer assistance and help if they can.
11. Everyone Wants Acknowledgment And To Be Heard. Part of what you are doing when you contact people you have spoken with in the past is acknowledging them. If it is your fault that you have not spoken with them in a long time, tell them so and apologize. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by contacting people from your past and enlisting them in your job search. Very often, you will find that you need not even ask for help. Just letting people know you are searching is often enough to get you the help you need. Once people realize you are available, you may find that referrals come your way without you even looking for them.
12. I Am A Major Proponent Of Using Every Means Necessary… To find a job. Our websites are great ways to get jobs. Targeted mailing is also an outstanding way to get a job. But you need to employ every means at your disposal to find a job. What it really comes down to when you want a job is people. People are the ones who give you jobs-not computers, not letters or email. Your contacts are one of your greatest assets!
13. Get People In Your Corner Enlist everyone you can in your job search. Contact those you know from your past (professionally and otherwise) to chat about how they are doing. The reward for human interaction and putting yourself out there is that you will know the market better. And you may just find your dream job-all without the aid of any job search service. This is how jobs used to be found, and now may be a good time to get back to that way of doing business.
